Escapading new thing is the present-day mantra heeded by millennial. Trying on unconventional trends or jumping on the bandwagon to make it virally trend is happening every minute. Much kudos to the social media platform. Ever since Facebook came into a trend, the conventional style of the netizens got changed. The legacy got forwarded and followed by many taking the social media network an inspiration. Many social media platforms raised and created a fashion by making everything an instant trend. One such platform which needs no introduction is Instagram.
Instagram is a cult. It became a staple social media application. From ordinary people to entrepreneurs almost all of them uses Instagram for many reasons. The craze of using Instagram never gets lessen. The popular photo-sharing application created many wonders with its features and made it easier to use without hesitation. With its unusual features, it helps us to try something different. Every time it unveils its features becomes an instant hit with the users.
To all the Instagram junkies and marketers, here are the 7 marvelous Instagram features to try in 2020.
1. Instagram Stories
Every Instagram user use the Stories feature every day. To kickstart your business Instagram Stories helps you undoubtedly. If you observe most of the story ads are by business people to promote their feature. Most of the Instagram population view the stories of the product and even gets a direct message from viewers.
Use of perfect tactics to draw users gives you a higher click-through rate. To get an idea on how to engage people with your market, you can check the famous brands and their techniques in promoting the brand products.
Insta-Hints:
- Choose what type of content is engaging in your feed with the audience and use the creative for your promotions.
- Use Instagram variety ad formats like videos, and carousel ads.
- Do not forget to add a call-to-action button as it is the crucial thing to gain an audience to visit your feed.
2. Countdown Stickers
Instagram added the new feature “Countdown Stickers” for the stories to get more interesting and exciting. Countdown Stickers adds value to your business or product promotions. Many brands started using this feature since the launch in December 2018.
For instance, the feature can be used for any product launch by setting a countdown sticker to the stories. This best part of it is, users can tap to the sticker and can set as a reminder or even can share it to the followers. The feature can be useful in many ways to promote your brand or product.
Insta-Hints:
- Use for the contest to run for the brand.
- Celebrating your company’s anniversary or events.
- Enables as a Reminder to the followers about special occasions like festive seasons or valentine’s day, to buy gifts for your loved ones.
- Promoting your store openings.
3. Instagram for bricks-and-mortar
Your bricks-and-mortar business is never at stake unless you promote business in digital platforms along with your offline strategies. With the help of Instagram, you can run an offline business most successful than ever.
To make your business popular, all you need to do is design the main elements to your page. For example, if you own a bakehouse, add a feature wall or other interesting interior aspects into your business. Add relevant hashtags and encourage your customers to take snaps of the shop and post it on their wall by adding your location.
Inst-Hints:
- Add a feature wall or backdrop of your business.
- Use relevant images or logos that symbolizes your business.
- Make sure the images you post on your feed is clear and consistent with quality snaps, as they say, the first impression is the last impression.
4. Create a Branded Filter
Want your brand to stay on-trend? The Instagram branded filter is the right feature to choose from. Nowadays we hear a lot about this feature. The filter-like puppy filter what you are using on Instagram is a version of Augmented Reality.
Some of the selected brands can create their custom AR filters for Instagram stories through Instagram’s closed beta program. Users follow these brands to access the custom filter. This is the right way to engage your community and obtain new followers.
5. Alternative text descriptions
Instagram in November 2018, launched two new features for the visually impaired.
- Automatic alternative text– users can hear photo descriptions via their screen reader that uses object recognition technology to produce a description of photos for a screen reader.
- Custom alternative text– users can add a detailed description of posts when a user uploads a photo.
Most of the uses are now captioning their Stories and video content especially for those with various level of hearing impairment.
Regardless of the usage of this feature, most of the users are using this feature to the fullest to grow their business by using Instagram content. Do you think Instagram content expand your business market? Yes, of course. Here is the answer.
Insta-Hints:
- Adding captions to your video content not only boost accessibility, but it also increases viewership as well.
- Never miss out adding alternative text descriptions to your posts. While you post a photo, tap on to ‘Advanced Settings’ and type in a description that will allow your followers to see your content.
6. Instagram Nametag
In October 2018, Instagram introduced a Nametag feature to make it more comfortable to find specific users to get followed.
To customize your Instagram Nametag, Go to your profile> click on the menu and you will find the Nametag option where you can either scan or customize the option. It also provides a button on the top where you can select a color, selfie, or emoji backgrounds.
For brand awareness, it is preferable to take a photo of your logo in the selfie mode to create a tiled background. Go to the top right-hand corner by clicking on the arrow to either save or send an image to the other users.
Instagram Nametag can be used outside Instagram for the promotion of your business, in places like email signature and on your website or anywhere to engage more customers. All they should do is to open Instagram or their phone’s camera to scan the nametag, and this lets the users follow you, start liking and commenting on your feeds.
7. Close friends lists
Even though you display some stories on Instagram to view by your followers or other users, sometimes you prefer not displaying public and choose a close friends list option. Some users or business do not want to share specific content with all the followers, at this time the close friend’s option comes in practical.
With the Close friend’s list option, users won’t be notified when they have been added or removed from this list. The option may seem simple and no purpose to your business. But every feature in Instagram is 100 percent useful and has a meaning to build. Here’s how
- Influencers play a significant role in promoting your business. Create a close friends list for Influencers you connect with and share the information.
- For Exclusive content, particularly for VIPs create a group to show your new products.
- Localization is the best approach to showcase your offers from your store location by creating a close friends list for a particular geographic location. For instance, if your store is in California, you can create a list of influencers or users you know by sharing your story with them.
Well, Instagram buzz never goes away and always impress us with new features. Let’s keep these 7 things rolling in your 2019 business. Do not think it as an itsy-bitsy feature, these unnoticed and neglected features always be the knight of any business.
